I figured I'd start off by just examining the language used in the July 15th, 2011 Watchtower, page 15-16, paragraphs 4-7.
Apostates are like:
1. ravenous wolves
2. smugglers
3. a clever forger
So far, we've got a vicious wild animal that preys on sheep (though I'll give them a free pass since they're just quoting scripture), and two kinds of criminals.
Descriptions of personality traits/way of thinking:
1. cunning spirit
2. corruptive ideas (is 'corruptive' a word? Not sure I've heard that usage before. Then again, they did use the word 'prophetical' back in the day to describe the organization...)
3. clandestine manner
4. subtly introducing
5. false arguments
6. fabricated
7. deceptive
8. twisting
9. their own ideas
10. "do not have our best interests at heart"
11. mentally diseased
12. seek to infect others with their disloyal teachings (pretty loaded on that phrasing--awkward phrasing, 'disloyal teachings'?)
13. twisted teachings that contradict his word
So...apostates = sly, clever, self-promoting, liars that speak against the Word of God. Okay. If you didn't get the point before now, well, there you have it. I have to ask, given the preceding article about the Russians studying JW literature to see if it was extremist...did they read this article, or any of the several others like it, during their research?
The organization contrasts itself by saying it's taught people: (1) God's name and its meaning, (2) God's purpose for the earth, (3) condition of the dead, and (4) hope of resurrection. So...is the organization the SOURCE of these teachings, or is it the Bible itself? Seems to me that the answers were written in the Bible thousands of years before this organization was even thought of. Yet it is aggregating to itself all that is true on the basis of teaching [some] things that were already there in the first place. So there's nothing extraordinary about them, yet they're clearly boasting like the teacher whose student sees a different path who says, "I taught you everything you know!" Apparently not, if I chose a different path based on taking the basics of what YOU taught me. Apparently, I know something else, that at least for me, is better.
When was the last time I, or indeed any stable person, said when you disagreed with them about scripture, "HEY! Where else is there to go for truth, but to ME? I TAUGHT YOU EVERYTHING YOU KNOW!" It's tantamount to the organization saying, I am the Truth. No one comes to God except through me. It's not even really disguising that, either, just flat out saying it. "The organization through which you learned these truths."
On page 30, paragraph 9, it then takes an awful lot of gumption to say, "When representative members of the 'slave' discern that our viewpoint on some point of truth needs to be clarified or corrected, they do not hold back from making the adjustment. The slave class is more interested in cooperating with God's unfolding purpose than in shielding itself from criticism over an adjusted understanding."
So after devoting 4 or 5 paragraphs to skewering people who disagree with or are critical of them in an earlier article, they then say that they're not interested in shielding themselves from criticism! Well, what happens when you criticize the 'faithful slave'? You get the boot! It is abundantly clear that when criticized, they merely stomp and say, "Maybe you forgot who's in charge here. It's US, not you."
Secondly, 'representative members of the 'slave' class discern' that some doctrinal change must be made. What representative members? Obviously the Governing Body. Note that they say 'discern that OUR viewpoint needs to be corrected'. So then, a few representatives take THEIR ideas and it automatically becomes OUR viewpoint. Yet I thought it was only apostates who put forth 'their own ideas'. Oh, right. When you're in charge, your ideas are the ideas of everyone else.
So you're telling me that all the changes to OUR understanding of Matthew 24:34 WEREN'T made to insulate you from criticism for repeatedly declaring that the end was right around the corner? When one generation overlaps with another, you're NOT trying to save face? You just DISCERNED FROM GOD that one generation can overlap with another that's 40-50 years younger and it can still be one generation? And that we should feel MORE confident in your judgment as a result of this, not less?
"Certain Bible teachings" have been changed--the Reasoning book tells JWs to say to people that those changes were 'relatively minor'. You know, like the timing of the resurrection, the timing of Jesus Christ's return and Armageddon, whether or not you can have blood fractions or an organ transplant that's the difference between life and death, what kind of sex you can have with your wife, whether or not you can ATTEND and watch OTHERS partake of Jesus Christ's body and blood at the Lord's evening meal, whether or not maybe the pyramid of Giza told us when Jesus was coming back, even who God's channel of communication really is (I forget, is it one man, or a publishing company?). How about whether or not you can divorce your mate if you find out they're actually gay? Minor matter. Is rape fornication, or not? Eh. Minor matter. Were all those who were supposed to go to heaven already chosen by 1935? Yes, absolutely. Oh, wait. No. And that's not a big deal either. Surely we should know, since we're in good with God and all, whether or not he's still choosing people to RULE THE EARTH WITH HIS SON! But hey, no big deal--we didn't actually shut up the heavens for people who might've thought they were going and might've died secretly wanting to go. And what's the deal with this 'organization' thing? The apostles never intended that crap! Oh, wait...no that's wrong. Not only did the apostles intend that, they STARTED the organization! But that's a minor detail, don't worry about it.
So...this issue is geared at shutting out any doubts--and if any of your relatives figure it out and leave, you better make sure you shun them so they can't tell you anything about our bag o' tricks.
Great reading, but if the many people hurt by this group of men who claims to be the 'slave' and yet acts the role of Master could only see... Well, I'm done. Had to get it out of me.
--sd-7